HARRISONBURG, Va – Healthy Communities Health Center is collaborating with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to address food insecurity and promote the connection between health and nutrition. Through a new onsite food pantry located in HCHC Pharmacy, patients at HCHC experiencing food insecurity now have a low-barrier option to access food resources to help meet their health and cultural needs.

“Healthy Communities Health Center is the first Federally Qualified Health Center to become a Food Pharmacy partner, and that’s something to celebrate,” said Maria Bowman, Director of Health Initiatives at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. “Given HCHC’s mission to support individuals who are uninsured and underinsured, accessibility for diverse patient populations, and comprehensive ‘medical home model,’ they are an ideal Food Pharmacy partner. Operating with a directive in our new strategic plan to improve the health of our guests, the Food Bank will continue to prioritize partnerships like this one that connect individuals with the nutrition they need in convenient, accessible, and trusted environments.”

HCHC’s partnership with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is an extension of their patient-centered medical home model (PCMH) that views health more broadly than a medical diagnosis. PCMH focuses on the whole person and acknowledges how social and economic factors impact health outcomes and overall well-being. The Food Pharmacy program aims to provide nutritious food to patients in real-time
without stigma or judgment, helping them manage chronic diseases, prevent illness, and support an active, healthy lifestyle.

Since opening to patients on July 24, 2023, 144 HCHC patients have been supplied with groceries. The food pantry is stocked with shelf-stable foods and fresh produce delivered from the Food Bank, along with produce and eggs from HCHC staff gardens and farms. An HCHC team member assists patients accessing the pantry to ensure they receive food items that support their health needs.

HCHC’s Food Pharmacy held a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Thursday morning at its location on Little Sorrels Drive in Harrisonburg.